The Founders
by Ariana Malfoy- Lestrange
Summary: Salazar Slytherin lies dying, and he muses about his old friends, old loves, and old enemies. A fic about the Four Founders.
1. Prolouge

I waited. I waited for something that I desperately wanted, but deep in my heart, knew that it wouldn't happen. That is, if I still had a heart.  
  
And I waited for them to come, waited for them to come and apologize, to come and beg my forgiveness. But, I waited in vain, for they never came. Not in this lifetime, anyway.  
  
And so, I lie here, on my deathbed, waiting for something that will never come.  
  
I'm dying, and I have no friends to comfort me. No soothing words to usher me smoothly over the threshold of two words, no cool kiss upon this fevered forehead, no anybody, no nothing. I suppose I deserve it, but it wasn't my entire fault. It really wasn't.  
  
If he hadn't...if she had just...if I had...there are so many ifs. I wonder where I would be now, if some of those ifs had happened. Would I be dying, lonely, and depressed?  
  
No, I don't think so.  
  
How did I become like this? When along that long road did I lose everything that really mattered?  
  
When did I lose her?  
  
I lost her when he stepped in. I lost her when Godric came into the picture as more than just a friend.  
  
But really, how could you compare?  
  
I was never brave. I was never a Godric, I was never the one to win her heart through great deeds. If anything, the way I sough her was by the most of childish means indeed. But I did have her, if only for a little while, before Godric got her. Godric was always the one to save the damsel in distress; I would be the one to antagonize them.  
  
I lost her to him, and everything else. I don't even know if they're even alive anymore.  
  
I don't even know if I care. No, that's not true. I do care, I care very much, because if I didn't, then I wouldn't be lying here, musing about old friends, old loves, and old enemies, not here, not now, not in my last hours.  
  
But what better do I have to do?  
  
So, here in the end, I find out, that you always somehow go back, go back to the beginning, go back to what was really important, go back to what you've neglected, what you've lost, and what you've loved.  
  
You always go back.  
  
And I, the great Salazar Slytherin, one of the Four Founders of Hogwarts, have learned that the hard way.  
  
Because I am dying, dying here, dying now, with no friends to ease my passage, no amazing love's hand in mine, no anything.  
  
And there's nothing I can do to change that. 


	2. Dinner between friendsand enemies

Author's Notes: Thanks to my reviewers for the prolouge!  
  
Audrey- Here it is, as accurately historically, and mythically possible.  
  
miony- Thanks for your review! Glad you liked it. And never fear, Rowena first person if coming up in the next chapter!  
  
FSI- Thanks!  
  
And I'm alternating between third person, and first person for each character between chapters. If I write in first person for a chapter, the person's name will be at the top of the chapter. Thanks, and hope you like!  
  
If you go, to a certain place in England...far from London, and the great noise of bustling cities, past the lonely moors, and into the English countryside, you will find a small village by the name on Cottswald-on-the- Shire. It's seems a normal little place- with quaint houses, and abundances of heather and daisy. However, if you go past the post office, and between a certain Mrs. Charlotte Merriweather's garden, push past the blueberry bushes, you will find a great heap of gray stones, seemingly arranged in a semi-circle formation, with moss creeping over them. Now, this is only if you're a Muggle. If you were a witch or wizard, you would see in the place of large stones, a beautiful pale gray Manor house, with honeysuckle, and a sign that reads, in big, bold letters: FORMER HOME OF ROWENA RAVENCLAW, ONE OF THE GREAT FOUR FOUNDERS OF HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY.  
  
And, if by chance, you went into this manor, you would see that the home was decorated as if in a medieval French court: with palest of blue drapes, marble, and gold fixtures. You would also notice the beautifully weaved tapestries on the wall: of unicorns, phoenixes, and the Four Founders themselves. The one tapestry, the last remaining one of the Founders together, lies in this corridor, famed in England. It's truly a work of art, with intricate details, and realistic portrayals of the Founders.  
  
The first one was Helga. A pretty, cheerful woman, she seemed a ray of sunshine made human. Her hair was down, shimmering oddly in the taper- lighted corridor, a golden blonde. The green-hazel eyes stared frank and friendly out of her smiling face. Carrying a dove, she beamed at the viewer.  
  
Next to her was Salazar. The legendary Salazar Slytherin, with his strikingly clear gray eyes, and almost black hair. He was a tall man, with an air of sarcasm and arrogance around him. A silver snake wrapped around his arm, he appeared every inch the evil, handsome man he was told to be. But if you really took a look at the tapestry, you would see his eyes straying to the one next to him, Rowena Ravenclaw.  
  
You would see that Rowena was a truly beautiful woman, with long dark hair, and dark blue eyes. She seemed to exude grace and poise, tall and elegantly proportioned, like an exquisite porcelain doll. But, you would have also seen the sparkle in her eye, like a determined fire, and the large leather bound volume she carried in her arms.  
  
Godric, the last one, amazingly good-looking with his brown hair, and dark brown eyes, stood with confidence, and brashness. His left hand was on the hilt of a gleaming sword, and his right hand seemed to be on the small of the back of Rowena. Even in the weaving, you could almost sense the tension between Salazar and Godric.  
  
A tension that was to destroy all of them when it turned into something much more.  
  
And if, by chance you were to go all the way down the corridor, you would find another corridor leading elsewhere, and a door off to your right. If you were to open this door, you would see a great dining hall, grand, and spacious. There would be a dark glossy oak table, stretching almost the length of the room, with dark hewn chairs, with now-faded velvet cushions. The gold platters and goblets are laid out as if their owners would return upon any second: as if they merely stepped out of the room for but a minute. If you knew your history of the Founders well enough, you would also know that this dining hall was where the idea of Hogwarts first evolved, among four old friends during a dinner.  
  
Rowena Ravenclaw lived with her mother and father before the founding of Hogwarts. Her father died when she was but 19 years of age, under very mysterious circumstances. Afterwards, her mother, Lady Rovenhywfar, went into deepest of mourning and depression- wearing only clothing of dark silver-gray. She became a mere shadow of the woman she used to be, now quiet, and withdrawn. It fell to Rowena's responsibility to take care of her. Fortunately, Rowena had friends who would brighten up her day. She had been a friend of Helga's since she was a small child, who lived in the valley below Rowena's home. Salazar, who lived a little ways away from the Manor, near the edge of the woods, his mother was very close to Lady Rovenhywfar. And as for Godric, Rowena had met him one day in the village. Having very few other people of magical descent in their area, and magic itself being greatly feared, and outlawed, especially since the age of Merlin and Morgan le Fay, and the Lady of the Lake had passed recently, with dire consequences, even though before the Founder's parent's times, the age of Camelot was not to be forgotten by the village folk, or anyone else for that matter. Non-magic folk, and sorcery could never again live in peace together since the betrayal of Morgan le Fay.  
  
Now, on the night when the very first idea came into place, Rowena had invited Helga, Godric, and Salazar over for dinner.  
  
Rowena anxiously watched at her window for horses. Helga had come early, to help Rowena choose the menu for tonight's meal. She was presently arranging her hair in the looking glass. "Does this look all right, Rowena?" She said, carefully turning around. Rowena glanced at Helga in amusement. "It looks very lovely, but may I enquire as to the occasion?" She set the book down she had been reading.  
  
Helga blushed light pink. "Well," She said shyly, "I wanted to look nice tonight."  
  
Rowena, a shrewd reader of character, raised her eyebrows. "For whom did you want to look nice for?" Helga's hazel-green eyes darted around the room, making sure no one else was there. "For...Salazar. Oh, Rowena, please don't ridicule me."  
  
"Why Helga, I would never ridicule you about something like that." But Rowena had an odd, closed expression on her face.  
  
"I mean he is such a gentleman. And he's handsome, and smart. Isn't he amazing, Rowena?" Helga sighed contentedly.  
  
Rowena's gaze was distant. "Yes, he is amazing." She said, more to herself, than Helga.  
  
"There is only one flaw in him that I can think of. Have you noticed that sometimes he can be rather well...sarcastic at times." Helga frowned. Rowena inwardly sighed. Hega could never understand, or think funny Salazar's cynical, at times biting, but still witty remarks. While Helga was Rowena's closest companion, and the first in line to say something kind about the most evil person in the world, she was not one for sardonic humor, which Salazar used most often.  
  
A flurry of movement outside caught her attention. "They've come, Helga. Let us go down and meet them in the entrance hall." Helga quickly smoothed her hair one last time, and hurried down the staircase, which Rowena surveyed her reflection in the mirror. Taking her time, she slowly walked down to the entrance hall. Salazar and Godric both looked up when she entered.  
  
Once greetings and pleasantries were exchanged between the four, Rowena led them to the dining hall.  
  
The House Elves began serving the food, while they talked, laughed, and had a very nice dinner. About halfway during the meal, Godric mentioned a boy he had met, who seemed full of potential to become a great wizard, but unfortunately, his parents were of non-magic creed. Salazar's lips tightened ominously at the mention of non-magic folk, but he stayed silent.  
  
"Pity. I know many other children, even with witches and wizards for parents, who won't become half of what they could be if they were taught properly." Rowena remarked. Helga nodded. "It is only by good fortune that we ourselves were able to learn as much as we did from our parents." She said, taking a sip from her goblet.  
  
There was silence for a few minutes. Godric broke it. "What if we were to teach them ourselves?"  
  
"I think that would be an excellent idea." Helga chimed in, eagerly.  
  
"What if...what if we had a whole place devoted to teaching young witches and wizards?" Rowena said.  
  
Godric smiled. "Even better!"  
  
"And, at this school, we could teach them all sorts of things, besides spells. How to brew certain potions." Salazar remarked.  
  
"How to take care of good magical creatures, like unicorns." Helga came up with.  
  
"Defending yourself against Dark creatures." Godric mused.  
  
"Reading Ancient Runes, and learning Arithmancy. History of Magic, as well." Rowena said, thoughtfully.  
  
"Transfiguration." Suppiled Salazar.  
  
"The students could live there as well. We could build the school so that no one but witches and wizards could find it." Helga said.  
  
"But which students would we choose? Anyone that shows signs of magical ability?" Rowena asked.  
  
"Not one of non-magic descent." Salazar said. "Why not?" Godric said, sharply.  
  
Salazar narrowed his eyes. "You know perfectly well how I feel about them, and why I feel that way." He hissed.  
  
Helga, who could sense an argument, quickly changed the subject. "We can discuss which students we'll accept later. Right now, let's think of where we could build it."  
  
The rest of the meal passed by with the four deciding to build it far deep in the countryside, and coming up with more classes to add to their curriculum. They finished dinner, and congregated in the entrance hall to say good-bye, and to arrange another meeting fro further plans.  
  
Soon enough, Helga asked Salazar to walk her home, and while Salazar looked as if he would rather not, he consented. Once Salazar and Helga were out of sight, Godric asked Rowena if she would like to take a short walk around the grounds.  
  
She glanced outside. It was twilight, but Godric looked so pleading, she agreed.  
  
What followed was a conversation she would always wish had never happened, or had ever consented to take a twilight walk, on a warm summer's night, with Godric Gryffindor.  
  
Author's Notes: Like I said, I'm switching, with every chapter, from third person, to first-person views from each of the different characters, Rowena, Godric, Salazar, and Helga. Or third person. If there's a chapter in first person, the person's name will be at the top of the chapter. The next chapter will be from Rowena's point-of-view. Review! 


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